Awareness Campaigns

As of September 22, 2014, the NIDDK Clearinghouses Publication Catalog and Image
Library sites will be unavailable until further notice.
Although you will not be able to order publications, you can view, download, and
print them by using the links below.
For urgent matters, please send an email to catalog@niddk.nih.gov.

Complementary and Alternative Medical Therapies for Diabetes

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), defines complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) as a "group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not generally considered to be part of conventional medicine." Complementary medicine is used with conventional medicine, whereas alternative medicine is used instead of conventional medicine.

Some people with diabetes use CAM therapies to treat diabetes. Although some of these therapies may be effective, others can be ineffective or even harmful. Patients who use CAM therapies should keep their health care providers informed.

Links to information about some CAM therapies are provided below. For more information, talk with your health care provider. For tips on talking with your health care provider about CAM, see NCCAM's Time to Talk campaign.

Participants in clinical trials can play a more active role in their own health care, gain access to new research treatments before they are widely available, and help others by contributing to medical research. For information about current studies across the NIH, visit www.ClinicalTrials.gov.

Vitamin D studies show a link between people’s ability to maintain healthy blood glucose levels and having enough vitamin D in their blood. However, studies to determine the proper vitamin D levels for people with diabetes and for preventing diabetes are ongoing; no special recommendations have been made about vitamin D levels or supplements for people with diabetes. This webpage from MedlinePlus, service of National Library of Medicine, NIH.

The NCCAM Clearinghouse provides information about CAM and NCCAM, including publications and searches of federal databases of scientific and medical literature. The Clearinghouse does not provide medical advice, treatment recommendations, or referrals to practitioners.